Abstract:

An improved catheter-over-needle system having a hub including a
self-suturing mechanism comprising a circular needle rotatably slidable
in a circular groove in the hub. The needle is sharpened to a point at an
end and preferably is also formed into a tang for use as a handle. The
hub is flattened on a side to be adjacent to the skin, defining a hub
flat thus truncating the groove through, for example 60° thereof.
After the catheter is positioned in the blood vessel, the flat is pressed
against the skin. The circular needle is rotated through an angle such
that the circular needle passes through a portion of the skin, thereby
"self-suturing" the hub to the skin of the patient. The hub is thus
firmly attached to the patient, and no separate suturing is required.
De-suturing of the catheter requires only reverse rotation of the
circular needle.

Claims:

1. A catheter hub for supporting a catheter tube disposable through the
skin of a patient, comprising:a) a hub structure having a central opening
having an axis; andb) a suturing needle permanently and movably attached
to said hub structure for removably attaching said hub structure to a
portion of said patient's skin, said suturing needle forming less than a
full circle and being removable from said patient's skin by reversing the
process of attachment.

2. A catheter hub in accordance with claim 1 wherein said suturing needle
is non-linear.

3. A catheter hub in accordance with claim 2 comprising:a) at least one
groove formed in said hub structure; andb) at least one non-linear
suturing needle slidably disposed in said groove and being sharp on an
end thereof;wherein motion of said suturing needle in a first direction
in said groove causes said sharp end to follow a path through said
patient's skin.

4. A catheter hub in accordance with claim 3 wherein said at least one
groove is circular and wherein said non-linear suturing needle and said
path are circular.

5. A catheter hub in accordance with claim wherein said hub structure
includes a flat side included in a planar boundary of said hub structure
and wherein said circular path passes through said planar boundary at
least once.

6. A catheter hub in accordance with claim 4 wherein the axis of said
circular groove is coaxial with said central opening axis.

7. A catheter hub in accordance with claim 4 wherein the axis of said
circular groove is transverse of said central opening axis.

8. A catheter hub in accordance with claim 7 wherein said circular groove
is a first circular groove, and further comprising a second circular
groove in said hub structure coaxial with said first circular groove and
opposite said central opening axis, andwherein said circular needle
includes first and second circular needle portions disposed respectively
in said first and second circular grooves and connected by a tang.

9. A catheter system for disposing a catheter tube through the skin of a
patient and into a blood vessel, comprising:a) a catheter hub structure
having a hub axis and a central opening, said hub structure including a
suturing needle permanently and movably attached to said hub structure
for removably attaching said hub structure to a portion of said patient's
skin, said suturing needle forming less than a full circle and being
removable from said patient's skin by reversing the process of
attachment; andb) a flexible catheter tube cooperative with said hub
structure.

10. A catheter system in accordance with claim 9 wherein said suturing
needle is non-linear.

11. A catheter system in accordance with claim 10 comprising:a) at least
one groove formed in said hub structure; andb) at least one non-linear
suturing needle slidably disposed in said groove and being sharp on an
end thereof;wherein motion of said suturing needle in a first direction
in said groove causes said sharp end to follow a path through said
patient's skin.

12. A catheter system in accordance with claim 11 wherein said at least
one groove is circular and wherein said non-linear suturing needle and
said path are circular.

13. A catheter system in accordance with claim 9 further comprising an
installation needle for assisting in emplacing said catheter tube into
said blood vessel.

14. A catheter system in accordance with claim 9 further comprising a wire
extending through said hub structure for assisting in emplacing said
catheter tube into said blood vessel.

Description:

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001]The present invention relates to catheters for introducing
medication into vascular systems of animals; more particularly, to
intravenous catheters, especially veterinary catheters; and most
particularly, to an improved intravenous catheter-over-needle system
having a non-linear, pivotable, preferably circular needle for
self-suturing of a catheter hub to skin at a point of catheter insertion
without requiring separate suturing to maintain the catheter in place.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002]Catheter-over-needle (CON) systems are well known in the medical
arts for introducing medication into vascular systems of animals. A
typical prior art CON system, such as the MILACATH Extended Use CON,
available from Mila International, Inc., Erlanger, Ky., USA, comprises a
flexible catheter tube mounted to a hollow catheter hub having laterally
extending perforated wings. As delivered, the system includes a hollow
rigid insertion needle extending through the hub and catheter to
facilitate insertion of the catheter through the skin and into an
underlying blood vessel. Appearance of blood at the outer end of the
needle indicates that the catheter and needle are emplaced within the
blood vessel. The needle is then withdrawn and discarded, and the
catheter is advanced to a desired distance within the blood vessel. The
perforated hub wings are then sutured conventionally to the skin to keep
the catheter from being forced out of the vein.

[0003]Some other prior art CON systems employ other components to assist
in emplacement of the catheter, such as a guide wire, but the basic
principles of emplacement are the same.

[0004]A well-known operational problem in the use of prior art CON systems
is the difficulty and time consumed in suturing the catheter hub to the
skin. This can be especially troublesome in veterinary applications
wherein the animal patient may be large, active, and/or dangerous, and
time is of the essence.

[0005]What is needed in the art is an improved CON system wherein means
for mechanically attaching a catheter hub to the skin of a patient are
included in the system.

[0006]It is a principal object of the present invention to obviate the
need for separately suturing a catheter hub to the skin of a patient.

[0007]It is a further object of the invention to facilitate, and to
shorten the overall time required for, intravascular installation of a
CON catheter.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0008]Briefly described, a CON system in accordance with the present
invention comprises a flexible catheter fixed to a catheter hub. The
system may further include an insertion needle extending through the hub
and catheter to facilitate insertion as in the prior art, but such a
needle is incidental to the present invention which is directed
specifically to an improved catheter hub.

[0009]The present invention consists in an improved catheter hub
comprising a self-suturing mechanism for attaching the hub to the skin of
a patient. The self-suturing mechanism includes a non-linear suturing
needle, pivotably attached to the hub, which is easily rotated by an
operator to engage an adjacent portion of the patient's skin. In a
currently-preferred embodiment, a circular needle is rotatably slidable
in a circular groove in the hub. The axis of the groove and needle may be
coaxial with the the axis of the catheter or may be transverse thereto.
Preferably, the needle is curved through more than 180° but less
than 360° and is sharpened to a point at a first end and is formed
into a tang at the opposite end. Alternatively, the hub may comprise
first and second circular grooves disposed around a transverse axis and
on opposite sides of the catheter/hub axis. In such an embodiment, the
circular needle may comprise first and second circular portions disposed
respectively in the first and second circular grooves and connected by a
connecting tang. In either embodiment, the hub preferably is flattened on
a side to be adjacent to the skin, defining a hub flat truncating the
groove or grooves through for example 600 thereof. The needle occupies
preferably the same or slightly fewer degrees of arc as the truncated
groove such that, during insertion of the CON system into a blood vessel,
preferably neither the needle point nor the tang extends beyond a hub
boundary plane defining the flatted portion. After the catheter is
properly positioned in the blood vessel and the insertion needle has been
removed, the flat is pressed against the skin. The operator grips the
tang, preferably with the ball of the thumb, and rotates the circular
needle in the groove through an angle preferably greater than the central
angle subtended by the flat, such that the point of the circular needle
passes beyond the boundary flat through a portion of the skin and then
returns to the circular groove, thereby "self-suturing" the hub to the
skin of the patient. The hub is thus firmly attached to the patient, and
no separate conventional suturing is required. Removal of the catheter
requires only reverse rotation of the non-linear self-suturing needle to
the starting position to free the skin, followed by withdrawal of the
catheter from the blood vessel in known fashion.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010]The present invention will now be described, by way of example, with
reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0011]FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a first embodiment of an
improved intravenous CON system having a rotatable circular suturing
needle, showing the needle in the ready position;

[0012]FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the first embodiment shown in
FIG. 1, showing the needle in the sutured position;

[0013]FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a second embodiment of an
improved intravenous CON system having a rotatable two-portion circular
suturing needle, showing the needle in the ready position; and

[0014]FIG. 4 is an isometric view of the second embodiment shown in FIG.
3.

[0015]Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts
throughout the several views. The exemplifications set out herein
illustrate currently preferred embodiments of the invention, and such
exemplifications are not to be construed as limiting the scope of the
invention in any manner.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0016]Referring to FIG. 1, in a first preferred embodiment 100 of an
improved intravenous CON system, a catheter hub 102 includes a central
opening 104 for passage of blood and/or medications, as well as for an
optional insertion needle 105 as is known in the prior art. Opening 104
is coaxial with a catheter 106 attached to hub 102. Hub 102 further
includes a circular groove 108 surrounding the axis 110 of hub 102. A
flatted portion 112 defining a flat side of hub 102 truncates hub 102 and
circular groove 108 through a central truncation angle 114. In use of
system 100, flat side 112 rests against a patient's skin 113. A circular
needle 116 ending in a sharp point 118 and an opposite-end tang 120 is
slidably disposed in circular groove 108. Needle 116 preferably is curved
through a central angle greater than 180°, the complementary
central angle 122 preferably being greater than central truncation angle
114. Thus, when system 100 is placed for use against a patient's skin
113, preferably neither point 118 nor tang 120 projects initially beyond
a plane containing flat side 112.

[0017]In use, insertion needle 105 and catheter 106 are inserted together
through skin 113 in known fashion until proper entry of needle 105 into a
target blood vessel (not shown) is indicated by the appearance of blood
at the outer end of insertion needle 105. Insertion needle 105 is then
withdrawn and discarded. Catheter 106 may be inserted farther into the
blood vessel as may be desired. When the catheter is properly situated,
flat side 112 is pressed into firm contact with skin 113. Referring to
FIG. 2, tang 120 is engaged by the operator such as by the ball of the
operator's thumb, and circular needle 116 is rotated in direction 124 in
groove 108 about axis 110 from the non-suture position shown in FIG. 1 to
the suture position shown in FIG. 2, causing point 118 to follow a
circular path through skin 113, thereby capturing a skin portion 113'.
Hub 102 is now firmly sutured to patient skin 113, thereby holding
catheter 106 in correct position without resort to supplementary suturing
as in the prior art. Removal of catheter 106 requires only reverse
rotation of the circular needle to the starting position to free the
skin, followed by withdrawal of the catheter from the blood vessel.

[0018]Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 4, in a second embodiment 200 of an
improved intravenous CON system, a catheter hub 202 includes a central
opening 204 for passage of blood and/or medications, as well as for an
optional insertion needle (not shown). Opening 204 is coaxial with a
catheter 206 attached to hub 202. Hub 202 further includes a structure
205 having first a second circular grooves 208a,208b surrounding an axis
210' transverse to axis 210 of hub 202. A flatted portion 212 defining a
flat side of hub 202 truncates hub 202 and circular grooves 208a,208b
through a central truncation angle 214. In use of system 200, flat side
212 rests against a patient's skin 113. A needle 216, comprising first
and second circular portions, each ending in a sharp point 218 (only one
point visible in FIGS. 3 and 4), and a connecting tang 220, is slidably
disposed in circular grooves 208. Needle 216 is curved through a central
angle greater than 180°, the complementary central angle 222
preferably being greater than central truncation angle 214. Thus, when
system 200 is placed for use against a patient's skin 113, preferably
neither of points 218 projects initially beyond a plane containing flat
side 212.

[0019]Insertion of system 200 is similar to that described above for
system 100. When the catheter is properly situated in the blood vessel,
flat side 212 is pressed into firm contact with skin 113. Connecting tang
220 is engaged by the operator such as by the ball of the operator's
thumb and is pushed forward, causing circular needle 216 to be rotated in
direction 224 in grooves 208a,208b about axis 210', causing points 218 to
follow a circular path through skin 113, thereby capturing a skin portion
113' within the scope of each needle portion. Hub 202 is now firmly
sutured to the patient skin 113 on either side of catheter/hub axis 210,
thereby holding catheter 206 in correct position without resort to
supplementary suturing as in the prior art. Removal of catheter 206
requires only reverse rotation of the non-linear suturing needle to the
starting position to free the skin, followed by withdrawal of the
catheter from the blood vessel.

[0020]Either of hubs 102/202 may be readily formed as by injection molding
of a thermoplastic, as is known in the prior art, with grooves
108/208a/208b molded therein. Circular needles 116,216 may be readily
formed by bending and sharpening of appropriately tempered wire stock,
and may be resiliently deformed slightly to snap into grooves
108/208a/208b during assembly of systems 100/200. Because each circular
needle 116/216 extends through a central angle greater than 180°,
the needles are retained by spring force like spring clips within their
respective grooves.

[0021]While the invention has been described by reference to various
specific embodiments, it should be understood that numerous changes may
be made within the spirit and scope of the inventive concepts described.
Accordingly, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the
described embodiments, but will have full scope defined by the language
of the following claims.